She was 5 years old when she saw him for the first time.
Her father, an elf whose trade was to deal with medicinal and exotic plants, picked her from the ground, held her close to his heart and pointed to the great elvian army leaving for war. They close to the waterfall at the entrance gates of Mirkwood. From there, they could see the majestic golden army following the Great Elvian king.
- That's our king. Can you see him?
The young girl could see the tall elf riding on a giant elk. She could see his perfil for maybe one or two seconds, leading the soldiers for a certain victory. The great army passed the gates and soon enough they were gone.
- What type of war, father?
- A great war, my daughter. But you do not have to fear, we have a great king. Victory belongs to the elves.
The little girl had an adult look in her eyes. The word "king" passed one more time in her mind before her father put her back to the ground.
- Father.
- Yes, Luriel? Said the handsome elf taking a small piece of a branch from behind a rock and smelling it.
- My friend, Litencane, has said I do not look like a pure blood elf but as a half blood instead, because of my unusual hair and character traits that differ from the other children. What do you think about it?
Elvian children could speak as adults since an early age. Her father touched her hair softly and answered, with a timid smile:
- I think you are a special person and your friend does not know how to express her feelings towards your uniqueness. Look, is that a purple falitah? It's rare to see this kind of flower in Mirkwood, come Luriel, come see it.
The father walked away fast, with a nervous expression while she followed him in silence.
The second time she saw him, she was 17. At this time she was with two other elvian girls close to the gates of the city. They were making flower arrangements for their heads, seating under a medium sized thin tree. Suddenly, they heard a noise what sounded first like a drum, then the sound evolved into thousands of feet in a perfect march, as if following a musical tune. The elvian girls stood up in silence and less than a minute later the great elf army showed up in the large path way leading the city's gates. Luriel's mind went back in time and her eyes looked for the king, was he riding an elk this time too?
Yes, he was, but this time he came not in the front, but between the first two legions of soldiers, as a divisor between the two regiments.
- That's the king. One of the elvian girls said.
- I know. Luriel responded, enchanted by the his beauty. Her eyes followed Thranduil only. She did not know why. At that time, looking at him was just a mix of a pleasant view with a hint of curiosity.
Now she was 27 years old and had a strange feeling that somehow, that was the age that her body chose to face eternity.
Helping her father to collect and sell rare herbs was a not only a trade, but also a pleasure.
She knew the name of each plant species inside the elvian realm and also some of from outside world too.
Without her father knowing, she ventured outside the elvian city a few times a year, in order to see what was happening 'out there'. From the top of the mountains that determined the limit of the city, she could see other mountains, rivers and sometimes humans, who were always trading something with someone. She must be careful, as venturing out there was said to be dangerous. Luckily enough, she never encountered any danger. Even when meeting with humans outside of the city to see their artifacts and inventions, luck always stood by her side.
Now on top of a tree with her medium sized curly brown hair untied, she let the wind blow it freely. Far from the other elvians, she could experience this small pleasure. Inside Mirkwood, she had learned from her father that her hair should be tightly braided and all times. It grabbed too much attention if not kept that way.
Afternoon was coming to an end and it was time to go home. It had been a few years now that she was often finding herself excuses to walk close to the city entrance gates. The only reason she could find for this strange behavior was the strong impression caused by the passing army many years ago.
Also, the vision of the king was a vivid memory. She started to dance and walk at the same time, giving small jumps as the song she was happily singing got a bit louder and happier. Her small jumps became big ones and soon enough she was jumping on rocks, and from there, to trees, as an acrobat! Singing and jumping multiple times, faster, and faster, and faster, and...
- Hey you! What are you doing out here?
Luriel was caught in a very awkward position, with her hands on the floor and feet up in the air. She moved her feet forward and gracefully stood up in front of the two guardian soldiers. Looking down she started to apologize.
- I apologize for causing you such disturbance.
- Are you an elf? The confused voice of the taller guardian soldier reminded Luriel that her hair was untied.
His simple and fast question cut sharply into her heart. She looked down and in a fast flashback, all the comments, judgmental looks, the shame of untying her hair in public, her evasive father escaping from her questions popped up into her mind. What was that? Without knowing what to do with such feelings, she touched her heart and lifted her head towards the curious guardians, looking deep into the eyes of the one who had questioned her.
- Yes, I am an elf.
- You are not allowed to walk in this area by yourself. Your safety is not guaranteed out here. There are outside creatures that could escape the eyes of the guardians and intrude the city. You shall return to your family now.
Feeling a slight weakness in her legs due to the unpleasant feeling of having her identity questioned, she just nodded her head instead of verbally agreeing with the guardians that stood high in front of her.
Suddenly, a sound cut the air. Then another. The drum like sound she so clearly remembered have heard twice before in her life. The sound of the great elvian army approaching the gates of the city.
The guardian soldiers forgot her present and stood up with reverence, looking at the long path way that came from the city. Again, in less than a minute, the sounds that primarily reminded drums, translated themselvees into thousands of marching feet. Luriel's eyes instinctively searched for one thing only, King Thranduil.
This time, she was standing right at the side of the pathway leading to the gate. It was the first time she would see the brave ones and her king so close. From the top of his elk, looking proud and keeping the eyes straight to the gates, the king was silent. His expressive eyes spoke loud, observing his surroundings. Luriel could not take her eyes off him, as if she was hypnotized, it was as if she looked into anything else, the king would vanish in the air. That irrational thought disturbed her for a moment, but not long enough to make her take her eyes off him.
Although the vision of an elf is extremely better than that of humans, Luriel did not see the eyes of the king noticing hers and the guardians' presence. It was as if they were invisible, as if there was nothing there to be looked at.
The army distanced itself from the three observers and passed through the gates, that were closed slowly.
- We will accompany you to your home. One of the guardians said with a strong voice.
Luriel did not thank or showed any sign of agreement to his words. She just started to walk towards her home, with one guardian soldier at each side.
Now with 116 years of being alive, Luriel was on the top of a giant tree, outside Mirkwood, into the fields before the great forest. The distant mountains were green at this time of the year and at least once a week she had to find herself experimenting the freedom of being there, far from the others.
Being herself, without the constant faking of behavior she had to mold in order to fit into her society. Her hair was now very long. The wild and tight looking brown curls danced freely with the breeze. There was no need to tie or braid them here. Outside Mirkwood, she was just a creature among so many others… the feeling of freedom was almost overwhelming.
It had been almost 100 years since she last saw King Thranduil and the powerful elvian army. The image of the king was a constant in her mind, sometimes invading her meditative rest as well.
It was then, without any warn or concern that using her right hand, she lightly touched the skin on the top of her left hand. The breeze was warm and in a moment, she prolonged the caress to her forearm, going now back and forth, in a slow and gentle motion. She slowly closed her eyes and laid her head backwards, still touching her left arm... slow and gentle, back and forth... and in a matter of one single second, she visualized king Thranduil seating behind her, involving her in with his powerful arms, his chick touching hers...
She woke up from this trance with a sudden shock, it was another unexpected vision. She looked at the sides, fast, as a child who is caught doing an improper act, trying to hide her misbehavior. Obviously nobody was there, besides a little monkey-cat creature, that was curiously looking at her with his big round shaped hazel colored eyes.
Luriel was breathing heavily. What am I thinking? She thought before holding her left forearm with strength. What am I doing? She looked down with a very concerned face. This had not been the first time such thing happened. For several months now, Luriel was having this kind of visions with the king. In the beginning, she thought it was just her mind playing games due the strong impression of seeing him many years ago... but now… as such visions started to become more clear and more realistic, she started to get concerned.
- Father, we must talk!
She closed the door of the house, as her father was drawing some plants in a piece of paper. He looked at her without speaking. Instead, he just nodded his head and smoothly moved his right hand, pointing out to a chair.
- Father, you are the only recipient of my concerns and I apologize to always causing you such disturbances in your moments of peace but...
- You know you don't need to fake your speech with me, Luriel. Tell me what concerns you this time.
After closing the window, she sat on a chair, looked deep into the eyes of her father, put her both hands over the table and spoke.
- Father, something weird is happening to me... I have looked for information about it in the library, but I didn't find anything that could explain what this is... and... and...
- And?
She let her head fall into her hands, as if she was in despair.
- I can not take fake behavior thing anymore!
Her father did not show any sign of surprise with her complaint.
- My daughter, we already spoke about that so many times... you know we have to live with some protocols... manners…
- I can't stand it! I can't talk, sing, dance, anything! I can't stand the looks over my hair, the unsaid questions about why I look so different... I don't speak like you, I don't behave like you, I don't look like you!
- You are no different from any other elf, my daughter, because you...
- ... are a pure blood elf. Luriel sighed loud and slow, resting her face now on her right hand only, looking vaguely at the empty corridor.
- You are just unique.
- Dad... being unique is not a good thing here. You know that... Although my physical resemblance is that of an elf, my mind isn't. Why is that?
- Listen, recently I've been talking about you to a wise magician who comes once a month to buy my herbs. His name is Radagast, the Brown.
Luriel lifted her head with a serious expression. Her father continued his explanation.
- He seems to be a fair and comprehensive being, able to keep secrets and devoted to find out answers to the mysteries of nature. I told him that I knew a mystery of nature myself. Without revealing that you're my daughter, I told him about a young elf, who did not physically resemble either father or mother, and whose behavior never fit with the elvian community. I also said that the most evident sign of her unique existence is that she has a type of hair never seen in an elf before. That her hair resembled the hair of humans.
- And what did he say?
- He has not come with a definitive answer yet. But I noticed that the moment I spoke about your hair, his eyes shined a bit. He wanted to know everything about you, I mean, this young female elf.
- But did he say anything?
- Yes, he has theories, but I prefer to wait a…
- Father! Please!
The father looked at her, knowing that she wouldn't take no as an answer.
- He said that sometimes, when nature feels threatened, it mutates into something else. The father said in a single breath.
- What?
He lowered his eyes, as he himself did not know how to repeat Radagast's ideas.
- He said it happens very often with plants and sometimes with animals... He said that since the Age of the Elves is long gone, and because so many of us have chosen to leave in hiding due to unhappiness with the hardships of the world…sorry my daughter, it must be hard to hear such things, I did not want to tell you any of this now, before his final answ...
- What else did he say? Please?
- Well... Radagast says that the Elvian existence has been threatened for a long time now... and because of that, Nature itself feels our pain… and when Nature suffers, in its instinct for survival, it shapes, or better, it mutates individuals from the threatened species into something else - he looked at her, afraid of his own words - something different ... stronger, better ... something that is more likely to manifest Nature's wish to survive.
- Nature mutates creatures to survive? Do you think I am a mutation? Luriel looked lost, her eyes showing a suffering expression.
- Nobody knows for sure, Luriel. But... you are... different from most elves - he could not face her yet - you are physically stronger than the other females, your behavior reminds me the behavior of Men and sometimes even... - he paused for a moment and lowered his voice - ... Dwarves. Sometimes you behave like them... you speak like humans, you laugh as a dwarf... you enjoy magic tricks more than what we are allowed to play with... you jump on trees like animals do… sometimes I think that you are the incarnation of a few spirits, inhabiting a single body.
Luriel's face became pale.
- Do I remind you of an Orc too?
Her father looked at her, serious, and put his right hand over hers.
- No. You don't. You are an elf. Perhaps Radagast is right and you are just a manifestation of Nature's whims. But listen, my daughter, you have the heart of an elf. If all elves had a heart like yours, we would bring back the glory of the elvian period in the blink of an eye, when we were the strongest race in this world and our fair rule brought justice to all. You are an elf, and I am proud of being your father.
They got up and hugged each other.
- I am sorry for telling you these things, my daughter. But you keep asking me such questions since you learned how to speak... I am also glad that for the first time I could at least give you some ideas... my next meeting with the wizard will happen in two weeks from now. You can come with me, if you want, and I will introduce you to him.
She nodded positively and then they sat on back on their chairs.
- Father, there's another thing bothering me... I feel ashamed to bringing such topic to you, but you are the only one who I can talk freely...
- What is it?
- Lately... I have... - she looked down- thought a lot... about a male elf...
- But you are too young for that...
- I can not take him out of my mind, I see him in my meditations, I long for him more than anything else and it has been a few months now that I started to have these short visions...
- Visions? What visions?
- I... sometimes... when I think about him in a very strong manner, I can see him close to me for one moment, it's very realistic, but just lasts a moment. These visions are so real... I feel happy when I think of him, but also sad because we are apart... sometimes I catch myself dancing with closed eyes, singing poems to his beauty, and in others I find myself in deep sadness because he is not with me...
- Who is he? Is he from our realm? I know you go outside Mirkwood to deal with humans! Have you met anyone in these occasions? An elf from Rivendell or any other realm? Is that it?
- It does not matter who he is, father. He does not know who I am, never saw me.
- So how come do you know him?
She did not answer.
- My daughter... what you are describing to me are the sensations of love. You are in love with this young elf. Tell me his identity, I ask you, then I can talk to his parents and we can meet his family, as it should be.
- I can't tell you who he is, father... I am sorry...
- But I can help you...
- I prefer to leave it as it is right now. I have one last question that need your guidance, father.
- One more? Today is a special day, I see…
Luriel smiled.
- I love working with you and being close to plants, but...
- You feel like doing something else, right? What is it?
- I don't know yet… What do you recommend?
- Join the army, my daughter. You have way too much energy to spend your life collecting plants with me. Your physical abilities will be better used as a soldier. I am sure that in a very short time, you'll surpass the other soldiers and increase patents, get medals... You are a fast runner, you like to jump on trees like monkey-cats - they both started laughing - I definitely do not recommend you a life as an herb collector... your mother would have been proud of you, you know? She always admired the army, her brother was a soldier. She would have approved the idea, I am sure.
- Father...
It was a warm and beautiful hug between father and daughter.
Now she was 564 years old and captain of the East division of the army. She had been now in several battles, with and without the leadership of King Thranduil.
He never noticed her presence, as he never looked or spoke to anyone unnecessarily. She was a splendid warrior, but this fact did not help her get any close to the king
- Do you see the king, like, do you get close to him? Does he speak to you? Luriel walked with a former captain that had recently been promoted to a colonel position. He laughed at such unexpected question.
- What kind of question is that? I think only lieutenants need to talk to him.
- Hmmm... lieutenants, right? But only lieutenant or it has to be a lieutenant general?
- You are strange, Luriel, how am I supposed to know such a thing?
She faked a smile as they continued walking towards a battle training session.
648 years old now. In less than one hundred years, she had finally been promoted to lieutenant. It was not an easy task to be promoted in an army composed by creatures that lived forever. Being promoted to a higher rank was a tough deal.
Her ultimate goal was to be a general. This way, and only this way, she could be addressed by the king at times of war and even in times of peace, to discuss military affairs.
One morning, however, she woke up with a strange realization. She looked sad.
Leaving her house for a walk, she looked up the hills, directing her eyes towards the royal palace. Just knowing that he was there brought her comfort and sadness. She walked and then run as fast as she could towards the entrance gates of the elvian city.
Finally, when she was close there, she quickly jumped over a tree, then another and then even another one to finally stop at the top of a gigantic waterfall. She sat on the grass, close enough to the end of the river that led to the waterfall and started to gaze at the clouds.
A little monkey-cat got close to her, timid.
- Hey, little boy, how are you? Do you remember me? Hmmm? I brought you a flower. Do you like it?
She offered the pink little flower to the small animal. It was his favorite treat.
- I woke up this morning with a strong realization, little friend... - the monkey-cat sat close to her, eating the flower - my main goal in life is to be close the one I love. I have been in love with him for so long now... You know, the only way to get close to him is to become a lieutenant general. But then I realized this morning, even if I become a lieutenant general, so what? He will certainly talk to me as he talks to anyone else.
The little animal finished his snack and just stayed there, observing her with curious eyes.
- What can I do to make king Thranduil look at me in a different way? And even if I make him look at me... what is going to happen? He would probably give me a medal and send me back home... ahhh... no matter how many military positions I get, no matter how high I get, I will never be able to get his special attention... what do I do? Tell me.
The little monkey-cat got closer to he. She caught him in a fast move, then she started to massage his tiny head and he started to purr.
- Nothing that I can possibly do will make him look at me in a special way... I would need to... - she laid on the grass holding the little animal against her chest - impress him... no, not enough... so, I'd need to... surpass him in something... but then, what? Impress, , surpass, impress...
She let the monkey-cat go stood up, looking at the other side of the cliff.
- I'd have to find out something that he needs... then... he would talk to me, because I have something that he needs, right? But… what does he need?
She started to walk slowly, in circles.
- What does he need? Why would he need me for? If I find this out, he will be obliged to talk to me all the time, because I will be the only one to negotiate with... oh glorious heavens... what can I do? What? What?
As she gave a larger step, while covering her face with both hands, Luriel accidentally kicked the small monkey-cat, which fell down the cliff.
- No! She yelled. No! No! No!
But as she laid down on the safe end of the cliff, looking down for the tiny creature, surprisingly enough, she saw him alive, holding on a branch of tree, close to the waterfall. He then jumped from a branch to another, used his long tail to catch farther branches and showing great control of actions and balance in his little body. He was coming back up. It was a splendid recover and soon enough, the little guy was again standing in front of her, as if nothing had ever happened.
Luriel fell on her knees, looking at the small animal. She stared at the little animal as if it was an angel posing in front of her eyes.
- I need... to... learn how to move like you… and become an invincible soldier…
She smiled and looked to the West, where Radagast lived. She would need his help.